Debunking the frozen food mythThe Daily BeastWith the rise of the slow food movement, Americans have seen a shift away from the TV dinners of yesteryear toward more deliberate meal preparation with fresh ingredients — and, often, time-intensive recipes. But have we got it wrong? Some brands of frozen meals actually offer fewer calories and lower sodium than the real deal.

USDA to buy sugar from domestic processors to cut surplusReutersThe U.S. Department of Agriculture said Monday it will buy sugar on the domestic market for the first time in more than a decade and adjust its re-export credit program in its latest bid to prevent processors from widespread loan defaults.

EFSA calls for safety tests for six food dyesFood NavigatorThe European Food Safety Authority has recommended further safety tests for six food dyes — including five of the so-called Southampton Six colors — although it says currently there is no reason to revise the acceptable daily intake.

Toll at 118 in Hepatitis A outbreak linked to berriesUSA TodayA nationwide outbreak of hepatitis A linked to frozen berries has sickened 118 people in eight states, sending 47 to the hospital, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported Tuesday. The strain of the virus found in the victims is rare in North America.

The struggle for foodSupermarket GuruA new Pew Research Report has some alarming numbers when it comes to the affordability of food for Americans: almost a quarter of Americans have trouble affording food.

Big Food goes 'indie': ConAgra behind gourmet food truckTake PartConAgra is not hip. The food giant, which boasts that its products are found in 97 percent of America's homes, presents itself as wholesome, family-friendly and reliable. But cool? Trendy? Hip? It leaves that to its quietly trademarked gourmet food truck, Wicked Kitchen.

Food makers strive for 'natural' lookThe Associated Press via The Huffington PostFood engineers have begun to focus on how their products look, believing the less "processed" and perfect food appears, the more consumers will embrace it as "natural" and wholesome.

Study: CPG companies might not be converting data into assetDrug Store NewsConsumer packaged goods companies have invested heavily in technology platforms to improve their trade promotion performance but may lack the talent or business proceeds to capitalize on those investments, according to a new study from Accenture.

Dining trends: Consumer cutbacks include proteinMeatingplaceConsumers interested in more healthful dining are reducing their servings of those foods they perceive to be less healthy or cutting them out altogether, according to new research by The NPD Group. Many of the choices diners said they make translate into less consumption of protein.

Fresh take: Wal-Mart strategic outlookSupermarket NewsWal-Mart Stores has cast itself as a fast-moving innovator intent on continued advances into the U.S. food and consumables market, including an aggressive campaign to expand fresh produce sales.